The 60th year JABSOM Gala gave me pause and allowed me to reflect on everything JABSOM. Images of leaders, faculty, staff, students, mentors, friends, community engagement, patients, and programs during my 50- year relationship with JABSOM entered my mind and the neurons began their conversation. JABSOM, I find, has a depth that stretches beyond its programs and surpasses individual accomplishments. I see JABSOM’s rich genealogy through the people and faces that form the DNA which is translated into JABSOM’s tremendous community and personal impact.
I am humbled and honored to receive the HIE award in context of the 60th JABSOM Gala. HIE in ʻOlelo Hawaiʻi means to be distinguished or distinctive. The deeper meaning implies that one is distinguished as a part of or a continuation of a legacy, …. JABSOM’s legacy.
The 2025 inaugural JABSOM HIE Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes an alumnus (graduating from JABSOM before 2000) who over the course their career made a significant impact in the areas of research or innovation, medical education and physician mentorship, clinical excellence, and physician leadership in Hawaiʻi’s Health Care Community.
I am thankful and privileged to be part of and a product of the JABSOM collective, and to be woven into the strong and vibrant JABSOM tapestry. My accomplishments are a reflection of and enabled by the people of JABSOM, the Deans, Leaders, Faculty, Staff, resident physicians and students—past and present. The innovation for understanding, shaping, shifting, and improving community and individual health stems from a dynamic dance between the people of JABSOM and the many communities which we are a part. JABSOM fosters, allows and actively engages in that community dance … which creates possibilities for clinical excellence, improved health outcomes, innovation, research, program interventions, and practicing the science and art of medicine.
Dr. Terence Rogers was the Dean, and Dr. Ben Young created and nurtured the ʻImi Hoʻōla Program, where I began my Professional journey in 1975. ʻImi Hoʻōla better prepared me academically for medical school. Moreover, my ʻImi classmates introduced me intimately to who they were and to the people and cultures of the Pacific and the Pacific rim countries. My ʻImi Hoʻōla classmates invited me to navigate towards a horizon beyond clinical medicine, a horizon that I did not know existed.
Dean Cadman and interim Dean Shomaker appointed me to be the Chair of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health in 2000 following a National Search which drew many highly qualified individuals. Why me, not sure, but I served as Chair for 13 years. Throughout, I learned and honed leadership skills from giants such as Naleen Andrade, Danny Takanishi, Ken Nakamura, Jerris Hedges, Elizabeth Tam, Chip Hixon and Richard Kasuya.
In the realm of clinical excellence, I watched and learned content, diagnosis, and approach through John Hardman, Ram Bhagavan, Irwin Schatz, Kekuni Blaisdell, Thomas Kosasa, Angela Pratt, Roy Nakayama, John Melish, Marian Melish, Melvin Palalay, and through some much younger than I, Christina Lee and Damon Lee. JABSOM has graduated more than 3120 physicians, many serve with great skill and dedication to their patients. In many specialties, JABSOM alumni and faculty rise early, work late, and find great pride and fulfillment in what they do. I remember dialogue of medical students speaking about how they had to get to the hospital at 3:30 am during their rotation with Dr Jinichi Tokeshi, because he would be rounding by 4:30 am every morning. These clinicians perform at the highest levels of a physician workforce. Their fine expertise, delivered with care to all patients, distinguishes them. The list of those who I know and who inspire me clinically is extensive, and not forgotten.
Who from JABSOM has created effective health dialogue in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific… and globally? What’s there, and what work has had positive impact? Critical to the communities of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific, Emmett Aluli, Clayton Chong, Kalani Brady, and Nathan Wong were exemplary in working with the Native Hawaiian Communities and developing Aha Hui O Na Kauka (Organization of the Native Hawaiian Physicians). Elliot Kalauawa brokered sustainable health care to the underserved in Waikiki through the Waikiki CHC, Lulumafuie Fiatoa reached the Samoan and Pacific Islander Communities in Kalihi and Waipahu, Mariano Torres worked for 30 years to deliver primary care to the populations of West Kauaʻi and Niʻihau, Craig Nakatsuka developed and implemented a healthcare program for fisherman aboard foreign fishing vessels who are not allowed to leave Honolulu ports, and Sherry Teefy developed the capacity of an extensive network of medical ultrasound experts in Uganda. And, of course, the immense effort and commitment of Jill Omori to deliver medical care and outreach to Oʻahu’s houseless population has been pivotal to provide health care outreach and enhance wellbeing in this population.
Wilfred Alik, Sheldon Riklon, Stevenson Kuartei, Victor Yano, Robert Immais, John Ray Taitano, Delores Lee, Robert Leon Guerrero, Iatomo Saliapanga , John Tudela, Vincente Aldan, James Hofschneider, Greg Dever, Patrick Pedro, and Thane Hancock are some key graduates who supported their Pacific Island communities through on-site health leadership positions and strategic thinking. They have worked tirelessly in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, Guam, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, and Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas.
I mention these JABSOM clinicians and alumni and their respective communities in detail as these are a few examples of JABSOM physicians who work in nuanced community settings and have had high impact. These individuals and their high health impact work often goes unseen. I have worked personally with all these wonderful JABSOM colleagues. In numerous ways they have assisted, encouraged and mentored me, and they do their fine community and clinical work with focus, silence and humility. My work has relied on and has been built with their sweat equity.
The community work of JABSOM alumni extends far beyond those whom I know and mention by name. There are many who have worked with passion and commitment for decades, engaging religious organizations, churches, athletic teams, as coaches, with scouts, Prison Ministries, Social Justice Causes, Medical Missions, Health Policy Organizations, Women’s Health, and rural health. These are dimensions that are not separate from clinical medicine --- but an extension of and prerequisite for effective care. Reni Soon, the Hōkūho'okelewa'a Alumni Award winner, and a superstar in advocating for Women’s health clearly defines an alumnus working with sustained and even increasing passion and commitment for maternal wellbeing.
Translating research for the community, applying research for discovery with the community, implementing large research capacity building programs, and enhancing health systems through Federal and Private grants is a large part of what I do. For me, these fields of scholarship have been influenced, encouraged, and supported by many who are part of the JABSOM family, and those who are interdependent partners of JABSOM. Fred Gilbert, Robert Worth, David Curb, and Beth Waitzfelder of the Pacific Health Research Institute were initial mentors and model researchers. Later, Kathryn Braun and Joann Tsark of Imi Hale and Papa Ola Lokahi revealed the necessity or community-based research; while Carl Vogel, Loic LeMarchand, Lynne Wilkens, and Brenda Hernandez from the UH Cancer Center developed provided opportunities and expertise for cancer research infrastructure. Marjorie Mau and Keawe Kaholokula from the Department of Native Hawaiian Health demonstrated excellence in Native Hawaiian and Indigenous health scholarship. Richard Yanagihara from the Department of Pediatrics was instrumental with mentoring NIH grantsmanship excellence, while DeWolfe Miller and Neil Katz from Public Health showed me excellence in public health epidemiology. From the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health Lee Buenconsejo-Lum, Gregory Maskarinec, Seiji Yamada, and Tai-Ho Chen moved research in many different and creative directions globally. And the movement and understanding and working with health policy and tying the many UH researchers together, Aimee Grace from UH Manoa filled in the blanks. I have worked with all of them --- and they have pushed and pulled me along, and in the end the scholarship has been able to exceed all expectations
And the future; working with JABSOM resident physicians and medical students, has offered me great faith and hope about the future of medicine in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. I see the energy and curiosity and the desire for change in the eyes, ethic and work of many students. They have talent to develop and implement the best health system for all. And they will turn into super stars in scholarship and all dimensions of a clinician — such as -- Reni Soon— auwe
The HIE award is about all the people who make up JABSOM, and the healing tapestry that is formed. I proudly represent and speak to the work of those who have held me up and inspired me to excellence. I focused on the names of physicians, researchers and faculty. I have not mentioned by name the multitude of staff and technical professionals who make the engine work, are a major part of the think tank, and the communicators. That list of wonderful staff is long and etched into my mind. It is for another standalone article. Through the HIE award, I wish to thank JABSOM, and the people and faces who make up the JABSOM ohana.
Finally, whom I cannot leave out, and should not leave out, is my wife, Momi Kaʻanoʻi. She is an ʻImi Hoʻōla and JABSOM graduate who has assisted with the integration of the Native Hawaiian Health Systems and FQHCs on Kauai. Talking about how Momi, a JABSOM alumni, influences me and “guides” me on a daily basis --- well... hmm… that’s another story.
Kommol tata, Kammagar, Kirisou chapur, Mahalo nui loa, Thank you
Aloha Ke Akua. From my tradition to You ALL, God Bless the JABSOM Ohana.
